public ActionForward execute(ActionMapping mapping, ActionForm  form,
            HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response)
            throws Exception {
        
        // create action errors incase login fails
        ActionMessages errors = new ActionMessages();
        saveErrors(request,errors);
        
        DynaValidatorForm  theForm = (DynaValidatorForm) form;
        CustomerDAO customerDAO = ServiceFactory.instance().createCustomerDAO();
        
        String customerIDEntered = (String) theForm.get("customerID");
        
        Customer customer = customerDAO.loadCustomer(customerIDEntered);
        if(customer == null) {
            customerDAO = ServiceFactory.instance().createPotentialCustomerDAO();
            customer = customerDAO.loadCustomer(customerIDEntered);
            if(customer != null) {
                // customer is awaiting activation
                errors.add("userAwaitingVerification", new ActionMessage("login.userAwaitingVerification"));
            } else {
                // unknown customer
                errors.add("userUnknown", new ActionMessage("login.userUnknown"));
            }
            // customer wasn't found in verified or potential customer storage
            return mapping.findForward("error");
        } else {
            /* found customer now create session adding the customer object to save retrieving the
             * customer details during the session
             **/
            HttpSession session = request.getSession();
            session.setAttribute("customer", customer);
            
            // create cookie to remember customers name for next visit
            Cookie customerNameCookie = new Cookie("customerName", customer.getFirstName()+customer.getLastName());
            response.addCookie(customerNameCookie);
            
            return mapping.findForward("success");
        }
        
        
    }